Wearable item for increased application of nutrients

ABSTRACT

A wearable item is formed of conductive fibers and non-conductive fibers. Encapsulated nutrients are placed on the non-conductive fibers. A voltage is placed on the conductive lines in order to induce an electric field so that the effective absorption rate of the nutrients through the skin of a user is increased.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of and priority to, under 35U.S.C. § 119(e), U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/020,851, filedJul. 3, 2014, entitled WEARABLE ITEM FOR INCREASED APPLICATION OFNUTRIENTS, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/083,758, filed Nov.24, 2014, entitled WEARABLE ITEM FOR INCREASED APPLICATION OF NUTRIENTSand U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/188,251, filed Jul. 2,2015, entitled WEARABLE ITEM CAPABLE OF CHARGING, all of which arehereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all thatthey teach and for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to wearable items,such as shirts, that provide nutrients to a user transdermally, andspecifically to wearable items that increase the effective absorptionrate of vitamins applied transdermally.

BACKGROUND

Nutrients (e.g., vitamins) are important in ensuring a healthy lifestyleand can improve the performance of the human body. Nutrients generallyenter the body orally and are absorbed by the blood stream via thedigestive system. Various circumstances, however, can lead to a nutrientdeficiency. Some examples include a lack of access to nutritional foodand/or liquids, digestive disorders where nutrients are not properlyabsorbed by the digestive system, disorders that prohibit oralconsumption of solid food and/or liquids, and exercise that depletesnutrients within the body. In these circumstances, and in others,replenishing nutrients via oral consumption of solid food and/or liquidsmay not be a viable and/or effective option.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention relate to the transdermal deliveryof nutrients. In its typical state, the skin acts as a barrier againstsubstances entering the body. The skin accomplishes this through theorderly arrangement of several cellular layers. At the same time, thosecellular layers allow certain substances to pass through, a propertyreferred to as selective permeability. In other words, certainsubstances are allowed to penetrate the skin while others are not.Factors that enable substances to cross the membrane (or that affect therate at which certain substances cross the membrane) include size,electrical charge, and solubility of the substance in water versus in alipid environment.

The process of electroporation, which in some embodiments is provided bythe wearable item disclosed herein, acts to temporarily change thepermeability of the lipid bilayer of the membrane of the stratumcorneum, so that nutrients that previously could not enter the bloodstream transdermally can now enter the bloodstream via transdermalapplication. Electroporation may also increase the rate at which othersubstances pass through the skin. As discussed in several of theexamples below, a wearable item is configured to apply principles ofelectroporation in specific ways in order to increase the absorptionrate of vitamins or other nutrients applied transdermally.

In Example 1, a wearable item for applying nutrients to a usercomprises: a plurality of non-conductive fibers; nutrients embeddedwithin the plurality of non-conductive fibers; and a plurality ofconductive fibers interwoven with the plurality of non-conductivefibers, the plurality of conductive fibers being configured to apply anelectric field to a portion of the skin of a user wearing the wearableitem and thereby increase a permeability of the portion of the skin withrespect to the nutrients.

In Example 2, the wearable item according to Example 1, wherein thenutrients are selected from a group consisting essentially of:water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins.

In Example 3, the wearable item according to either Example 1 or 2,wherein the plurality of conductive fibers are arranged to form a MarxGenerator to apply the electric field to the portion of the skin of theuser wearing the item and thereby increase the permeability of theportion of the skin with respect to the nutrients.

In Example 4, the wearable item according to any of Examples 1-3,wherein the plurality of non-conductive fibers include at least one ofthe following: bamboo fibers, ramie fibers, hydrophobic cotton fibers orhydrophilic cotton cellulose fibers.

In Example 5, the wearable item according to any of Examples 1-4,wherein the nutrients include a first nutrient type and a secondnutrient type, and the nutrients of the first nutrient type are embeddedwithin a first region of the wearable item and the nutrients of thesecond nutrient type are embedded within a second region of the wearableitem, wherein the first region is different than the second region.

In Example 6, the wearable item according to any of Examples 1-5,further comprising a processor-based nutrient applicator configured toselectively apply an electric field to the plurality of conductivefibers.

In Example 7, the wearable item according to any of Example 6, whereinthe processor-based nutrient applicator is a removable dongle, andwherein the wearable item further comprises an interface configured tosecure the removable dongle to the wearable item and to control aproximity of the removable dongle to the skin of the user.

In Example 8, the wearable item according to any of Examples 1-7,further comprising a visual indicator configured to convey informationregarding an amount of nutrients coupled to the plurality ofnon-conductive fibers.

In Example 9, a removable dongle for increasing a permeability of auser's skin with respect to nutrients, the removable dongle comprising:an interface unit configured to removably couple the removable dongle toa wearable item; a nutrient applicator configured to provide nutrientsto the user's skin; and a power application module configured toselectively apply an electric field to the user's skin to increase thepermeability of the user's skin with respect the nutrients.

In Example 10, the removable dongle according to Example 9, wherein thenutrients are an array of nutrients including nutrients of a first typeand nutrients of a second type, wherein the power application module isconfigured to selectively apply a first electric field to the user'sskin to increase the permeability of the user's skin with respect tonutrients of the first type and to selectively apply a second electricfield to the user's skin to increase the permeability of the user's skinwith respect to nutrients of the second type.

In Example 11, the removable dongle according to either Example 9 orExample 10, wherein the removable dongle further comprises: a userinterface configured to display a visual indicator of an amount ofnutrients available to the nutrient applicator.

In Example 12, the removable dongle according to any of Examples 9-11,wherein the removable dongle further comprises: a user interfaceconfigured to display a visual indicator of an amount of energyavailable to the power application.

In Example 13, the removable dongle according to any of Examples 9-12,wherein the power application module is configured to receive energyfrom conductive fibers in the wearable item.

In Example 14, the removable dongle according to any of Examples 9-13,wherein the power application module is configured to selectively applydifferent electric fields to different portions of the wearable itemusing conductive fibers in the wearable item.

In Example 15, a system for improving the health and performance of auser, the system comprising: a wearable item formed of conductive fibersand non-conductive fibers and having nutrients embedded withinnon-conductive fibers, the conductive fibers forming a plurality ofcircuit elements; and a processor-based nutrient applicator configuredto selectively generate an electric field, the processor-based nutrientapplicator being further configured to selectively generate differentelectric field strengths at different regions of the wearable item usingcircuit elements of the plurality of circuit elements.

In Example 16, the system according to Example 15, wherein theprocessor-based nutrient applicator is further configured to receiveuser input and to selectively generate the electric field based on thatuser input.

In Example 17, the system according to either Example 15 or Example 16,wherein nutrients include a first nutrient type and a second nutrienttype, and the nutrients of the first nutrient type are embedded within afirst region of the wearable item and the nutrients of the secondnutrient type are embedded within a second region of the wearable item,wherein the first region is different than the second region.

In Example 18, the system according to any of Examples 15-17, whereinthe wearable item further includes power generating elements and whereinthe processor-based nutrient applicator is configured to receive energygenerated from the power generating elements.

In Example 19, the system according to Example 18, wherein the powergenerating elements include photovoltaic elements.

The preceding is a simplified summary of the disclosure to provide anunderstanding of some aspects of the disclosure. This summary is neitheran extensive nor exhaustive overview of the disclosure and its variousaspects, embodiments, and configurations. It is intended neither toidentify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate thescope of the disclosure but to present selected concepts of thedisclosure in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detaileddescription presented below. As will be appreciated, other aspects,embodiments, and configurations of the disclosure are possibleutilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features setforth above or described in detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate exemplary wearable items, according toembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary layout of moisture wicking fibersincorporated into the wearable item of FIG. 1B.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary layout of the non-conductive fibers,conductive fibers, and nutrients within the wearable item of FIG. 1B.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary layout of multiple fiber layers that canbe incorporated in the wearable item of FIG. 1B.

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary encapsulated nutrient, according toembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary vitamin level and charge indicator thatis incorporated in the wearable item of FIG. 1B.

FIGS. 7A-7B depict different indication levels of the vitamin level andcharge indictor illustrated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary diagram of an electrical field beingapplied to a user's skin, according to embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIGS. 9A-9C depict the transformation of a user's skin as it undergoeselectroporation, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary fit-adjusting strap, according toembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary adjusting mechanism for thefit-adjusting strap illustrated in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary fit-adjusting strap integrated in thewearable item of FIG. 1B.

FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary processor-based nutrient applicator,according to the embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14A-14C illustrate exemplary dongles, according to embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary dongle and fibers for transporting thebiometric information and electrical communication signals from thebiometric sensors to the dongle.

FIG. 16 illustrates an exemplary vitamin pack, according to embodimentsof the present disclosure.

While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternativeforms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in thedrawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, isnot to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. Onthe contrary, the invention is intended to cover all modifications,equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the inventionas defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to embodiments disclosed herein, a wearable item provides thetopical application of nutrients while increasing the effectiveabsorption rate of those nutrients by using electroporation.Electroporation (or electropermeabilization) is an increase in thepermeability of a cell membrane caused by an externally-appliedelectrical field.

FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary wearable item 100 in accordance withembodiments of the present disclosure. The wearable item 100 deliversnutrients 102 transdermally using electroporation to different parts ofthe body (e.g., the surface of the torso, forehead, arms, legs, and thelike). In particular, the wearable item comprises a plurality ofnon-conductive fibers 104; nutrients 102A, 102B embedded within theplurality of non-conductive fibers 104; and a plurality of conductivefibers 106 interwoven with the plurality of non-conductive fibers 104.The plurality of conductive fibers 106 are configured to apply anelectric field to a portion of the skin of a user wearing the wearableitem 100 and thereby increase the permeability of the portion of theskin with respect to the nutrients 102A, 102B. Furthermore, the wearableitem 100 includes a power source 110 coupled to the conductive fibers106, a dongle 114, and a processor-based nutrient applicator 112 that isincorporated in the dongle 114. The dongle 114 and the processor basednutrient application 112 control the electrical pulses, produced by thepower source 110 and transmitted to the conductive fibers 106, whichgenerate the electric field for electroporation. Each of these elementsare discussed in detail below.

Once an electric field has been applied to the skin of the wearer of thewearable item 100, nutrients are more easily passed from the wearableitem 100 into the blood stream of the user. In some embodiments, thewearable item 100 delivers nutrients 102A, 102B over a large surfacearea of the body (e.g., the majority or entirety of the torso). In otherembodiments, the wearable item 100 delivers nutrients 102 to a small,targeted surface area of the body (e.g., a portion of a bicep). Thewearable item 100 may also deliver different nutrients 102A, 102B todifferent areas of the body. While some nutrients 102A, 102B canpenetrate the skin and reach the bloodstream within approximately 20seconds of application, other nutrients 102A, 102B may take longer topass through the skin. In exemplary embodiments, the wearable item 100is able to place these nutrients 102A, 102B into the bloodstream withinone minute, and at concentrations that the effects of the nutrients 102last for several hours. While a shirt 100 is shown in FIG. 1 as thewearable item 100, other types of wearable items 100 can be used, e.g.,hats, sweatbands, sweaters, jackets, pants, underwear, socks, watches,or any other wearable item that contacts the skin.

In some embodiments, in addition to delivering nutrients 102A, 102Btransdermally using electroporation, the wearable item 100 can alsoprotect the skin from harmful bacteria and germs. For example, this canbe achieved by incorporating anti-microbial particles and/orantibacterial materials in the wearable item 100. In some embodiments,the wearable item 100 can also include material that protects the userfrom ultraviolet (UV) rays. The wearable item 100 may also includemoisture-wicking fibers 210, as shown in FIG. 2, which remove sweat andwater molecules that could possibly limit the effects of electroporationand/or interfere with the electrical circuitry of the wearable item 100.Furthermore, in some embodiments, the color of the wearable item 100 isbased on photonic cells that produce their colors with reflective lightrays (e.g., similar to butterflies using cellular produced color thatholds no true dyed pigmentation but rather only reflective colors).

FIG. 1B illustrates another exemplary wearable item 200 in accordancewith embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition to thefunctionality of the wearable item 100 shown in FIG. 1A, the wearableitem 200 shown in FIG. 1B includes biometric sensors 216 that canmeasure various parameters of the user of the wearable item 200. Thebiometric sensors can include, but are not limited to, heart ratesensors, stress sensors, temperature sensors, breathing pattern sensors,activity sensors, calories sensors, sleep sensors, and electromyographysensors. This information can then be transmitted along a fabric circuitboard 218 to a dongle 214. The dongle 214 is described in more detail inFIGS. 17-18C below. While nutrients are not shown in FIG. 1B, they areembedded within the plurality of non-conductive fibers 204.

As stated above, in some embodiments, the wearable item (100 in FIG. 1A,200 in FIG. 1B) comprises a plurality of non-conductive fibers (104 inFIG. 1A, 204 in FIG. 1B), a plurality of conductive fibers (106 in FIG.1A, 206 in FIG. 1B) interwoven with the plurality of non-conductivefibers (104 in FIG. 1A, 204 in FIG. 1B), and nutrients (102A, 102B inFIG. 1A) embedded within the plurality of non-conductive fibers (104 inFIG. 1A, 204 in FIG. 1B). FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary layout ofnon-conductive fibers 304, conductive fibers 306, and nutrients 302within a wearable item (e.g., the wearable item 100 in FIG. 1A or thewearable item 200 of FIG. 1B). The materials forming the non-conductivefibers 304 may be selected for properties relating to the retentionand/or application of nutrients 302 to a user, in addition to propertiesrelating to comfort or performance. For example, in some embodiments,the non-conductive fibers in the wearable item are at least one of thefollowing types of fibers: bamboo fibers, ramie fibers, hydrophobiccotton fibers or hydrophilic cotton cellulose fibers.

The materials forming the conductive fibers 306 may be selected fortheir conductivity and their flexibility, so that the wearable item isable to conduct electricity while still being able to flex and conformto a user's body. For example, in some embodiments, the conductivefibers 306 are formed from a flexible material (e.g., bamboo fibers,ramie fibers, cotton strands, nylon strands or the like) dipped in aconductive material, thereby making the fibers into conductive fibers.The conductive materials can include, but are not limited to, copper,silver, gold, and the like. In some embodiments, the conductivematerials can also include semi-conductive materials. In someembodiments, the conductive material or the semi-conductive material caninclude a small amount of elastane. In addition to providingelectroporation, the conductive fibers 306 can also serve as a componentof larger electromechanical biometric processes (e.g., monitoring heartrate, stress, temperature, breathing patterns and transmitting thisinformation to a processor), as described in more detail below.

In some embodiments, and as shown in, e.g., FIG. 1A, the conductivefibers 106 are coupled to a power source 110. The power source 110provides an electrical pulse to the conductive fibers 106 to create anelectric field around the conductive fibers 106. That electric field canthen be applied to the skin of the user of wearable item 100. Asdescribed above, the electric field creates the electroporation effectthat increases the permeability of the lipid bilayer of the membrane ofthe stratum corneum (the outer layer of the skin that acts as theprimary barrier to transdermal delivery). The increased permeability ofthe user's skin allows nutrients 102A, 102B to pass into the bloodstream more effectively. As a result, a wearer may rapidly notice thephysiological effects of the nutrients 102A, 102B (e.g., within minutesto hours).

In some embodiments, the power source 110 that supplies the electricalpulse to the conductive fibers 106 is a battery, such as a chemicalbattery or a bio-battery. In other embodiments, the power source 110 canbe a circuit element that is charged from photovoltaic cells that areincorporated on the surface of the power source 110. Alternatively oradditionally, the photovoltaic cells (i.e., solar cells) can beincorporated on the surface of the wearable item 100. In someembodiments, the photovoltaic cells can be ultraviolet (UV) reactivecells. In some other embodiments, the photovoltaic cells can beintegrated into the fibers of the wearable item 100. In embodimentswhere photovoltaic cells are incorporated in the power source 110 and/orthe wearable item 100, after the power source 110 stores enough energy,the stored energy can be discharged in the conductive fibers 106 toprovide electroporation to the user's skin.

In some embodiments, and as shown in FIG. 4, a wearable item 400 hasmultiple layers of fabric material. For example, in some embodiments, atop layer 410 is comprised of bamboo fibers integrated with UV reactiveparticles (for conducting electricity) and silver or carbon particles,thereby providing the top layer of the wearable item 400 with conductivefibers. As also shown in FIG. 4, a middle layer 412 includes at leastone of the following types of non-conductive fibers: bamboo fibers,ramie fibers, hydrophobic cotton fibers or hydrophilic cotton cellulosefibers. In some embodiments, the middle layer includes encapsulatednutrients (e.g., 102A and/or 102B in FIG. 1A). The third layer 414,disposed proximate to or adjacent the user's skin 618, includesbiometric sensors 416. The layers 410, 412, 414 are held together withvertical strands of conductive fibers (not shown) and can be sewntogether using computerized knitting technology in order to arrange thelayers together in a fabric circuit board pattern that is capable ofproducing an electric field, using the power source 110, of about 25 V/mto about 125 V/m near the user's skin.

Referring back to FIG. 1A, the nutrients 102A, 102B embedded within theplurality of non-conductive fibers 104 are applied topically to the userof the wearable item 100. In some embodiments, the nutrients 102A, 102Binclude a first nutrient type 102A and a second nutrient type 102B. Insome embodiments, the first nutrient type 102A and the second nutrienttype 102B are embedded in the same regions of the wearable item 100. Inother embodiments, the first nutrient type 102A and the second nutrienttype 102B are embedded in a first region and a second region of thewearable item 100, respectively, wherein the first region is differentthan the second region. This arrangement of nutrients 102 can be usefulin circumstances where the first region of the user's body needsdifferent nutrients than the second region of the user's body. And, as aresult, the first region can be targeted with a first nutrient type 102Awhile the second region can be targeted with a second nutrient type102B.

Examples of nutrients 102A, 102B can include, but are not limited to,the following: amino acids, antioxidants, BCAA's, botanical products,carbohydrates, Creatine, Digestive Enzymes, Enzymes, Essential FattyAcids, Fat-soluble Vitamins, Fiber, Glutamine, Herbal products,Macrominerals Minerals, Phytomedicines, Prescription Medications,Proteins, Testosterone, Trace minerals, Water-soluble Vitamins, Acai,Aloe Vera, Alpha-Tocopherol, Artichoke Astaxanthin, Astragalus,Baicalin, Bilberry, Bitter Orange, Black Cohosh, Botanical DietarySupplements, Bromelain, Butterbur, Caffeine, Calcium, Cat's Claw,Chamomile, Chasteberry, Choline, Chromium, Cinnamon, Coenzyme CoQ10(QH), Collagen, Copper, Cranberry, Dandelion, Echinacea, EPA/DHA,Ephedra, Essiac/Flor-Essence, European Elder, Evening Primrose Oil,Fenugreek, Feverfew, Flaxseed/Flaxseed Oil, Folate, Garlic, Gelatin,Ginger, Ginkgo, Ginseng, Glucosamine(Sulfate), Chondrotin, Glutathione,Goldenseal, Grape Complex, Grape Seed Extract, Green Tea, Green TeaExtract, Hawthorn, Herbal Dietary Supplements, Hoodia, Horse Chestnut,Huperzine A, Hyaloronic Acid, Iodine, Iron, Kava, Lavendar,Leucoanthocyanins, Licorice Root, Lignans, Lutein, Lycopene, Magnesium,Milk Thistle, Mistletoe, Multivitamin/mineral Supplements, Nitric Oxide,Noni, Olive Leaf, Olive Oil/Fruit, PC-SPES, Peppermint Oil, Phytic Acid,Polyphenols, Pomegranate, Proanthocyanidins, Proline, Quercetin, RedClover, Sage, SAMe, Saw Palmetto, Selenium, Selenium, Soy, St. John'sWort, Tea, Thiamin, Thunder God Vine, Tocotrienols, Tretinoin Vitamin A,Turmeric, Valerian, Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6,Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin E—Isomer E, Vitamin K, Yohimbe,and Zinc.

In some embodiments, the nutrients 102A, 102B can be encapsulated inorder to aid the nutrients 102A, 102B in bypassing the epidermal skinlayer and to target specific areas of body. FIG. 5 depicts an exemplaryencapsulated nutrient 500, according to the embodiments of the presentdisclosure. An encapsulated nutrient 500 includes a capsule 504 thatencloses a vesicle 506 in which a nutrient 502 is stored. The vesicle506 is released from the capsule 504 and passes through the skin, whereit delivers the enclosed nutrient into the bloodstream while the capsule504 remains embedded within the wearable item (e.g., the wearable item100 in FIG. 1A). The use of particular nutrients 502 (e.g., vitamin B-12and other water-soluble vitamins) can involve special vesicles 506 forencapsulating the nutrients 502. In some embodiments, the capsules 504are placed in proximity to conductive fibers (e.g., conductive fibers106 in FIG. 1A) so that the electric current on the conductive fiberscan help to disperse the vitamins from the capsules 504.

As the wearable item 100 is utilized, the nutrients 102A, 102B embeddedwithin the wearable item 100 and the charge stored in the power source110 decrease. In exemplary embodiments, the wearable item 100 includes avitamin level and charge indicator 610, as shown in FIG. 6. FIGS. 7A-7Bdepict how vitamin levels and charge indictors 610A, 610B changedepending on the levels of nutrients embedded within the wearable itemand the charge of the power source. In particular, the vitamin level andcharge indicator 610A in FIG. 7A indicates that the level of nutrientsembedded within the wearable item and the charge in the power source arefull. In contrast, the vitamin level and charge indicator 610B in FIG.7B indicates that the level of nutrients embedded within the wearableitem and the charge in the power source are half full. That is, thefirst three levels 612 of the vitamin level and charge indicator 610 aregreyed out. When the nutrients and the charge in the power source arefully exhausted, the entire vitamin level and charge indicator 610B willbe greyed out.

In embodiments where the power source is fully depleted, the powersource can be connected to an external power source, using a power cord,Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector and the like.

In embodiments where the nutrients of wearable item are exhausted, thewearable item may be submerged in a replenishing and strengtheningsolution (referred to as a “washing solution”). The concentration ofnutrients/capsules in the washing solution may vary. For example, insome situations the concentration may be higher to decrease soaking timeneeded for adequate replenishing; in other situations the concentrationmay be lower to prevent degeneration of the fibers of the wearable item.In embodiments where the nutrients are encapsulated nutrients (e.g., asshown in FIG. 5), the washing solution can include nutrients 502 thatbecome encapsulated in existing capsules 504 in the wearable item or mayinclude new capsules 504 that attach to the wearable item. Any activeelectric components of the wearable item (e.g., the chip as discussedbelow) may be incorporated into a waterproof container to prevent damageduring soaking. The replenishing and strengthening solution may beincorporated into a laundry detergent.

In some embodiments, the washing solution includes components thatreinforce and replenish the conductivity of the conductive fibers of thewearable item. For example, the washing solution can include silverparticles that will recoat the conductive fibers with silver, therebyincreasing the conductivity of the wearable item. In some embodiments,the washing solution is designed to be safe in a regular washing cycleand is phosphate & paraben free. The washing solution can also includecolor changing technology that will change the color of the wearableitem when the wearable item is washed in the washing solution.

As stated above, the plurality of conductive fibers (e.g., theconductive fibers 106 in FIG. 1A) are configured to apply an electricfield to a portion of the skin of a user wearing the wearable item(e.g., the wearable item 100 in FIG. 1A), thereby increasing thepermeability of the portion of the skin with respect to the nutrients(e.g., nutrients 102A, 102B in FIG. 1A). FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplarydiagram of an electrical field 810 being applied to a user's skin(epidermis 812 and dermis 814) of the wearable item 100. In exemplaryembodiments, the electrical field 810, generated by the conductivefibers 106, is approximately perpendicular to the epidermis 812 anddermis 814 of the user's skin. In these embodiments, the electroporationof the user's epidermis 812 and dermis 814 is particularly effective. Inother embodiments, the electrical field 810 is applied at an angle otherthan perpendicular to the user's epidermis 812 and dermis 814. After theelectrical field 810 is applied nutrients 102 can be transported to theblood stream 816 of the user.

In some embodiments, the strength of the electric field produced by thepower source (e.g., power source 110 in FIG. 1A) can be a range of about25 V/m to about 125 V/m. This electric field strength will achievesufficient electroporation to enable the entry of the microencapsulatedenergy blend across the stratum corneum. In some embodiments, theconductive fibers (e.g., conductive fibers 106 in FIG. 1A) are arrangedin a pattern similar to a Marx generator (that in some embodiments canbe similar to the arrange of an electrical organ in an electric eel),which will enable the amplification of the electric field of theconductive fibers 106 and thereby generate electric fields from 25 V/mto 125 V/m.

In exemplary embodiments, in addition to providing an electric field 810to the skin of the user for electroporation, the conductive fibers 106can also be configured to provide an electric field that aids in thetransport of the encapsulated nutrients 500. For example, in theseembodiments, the encapsulated nutrients 500 can be electrically charged.When an electric field is applied to the encapsulated nutrients 500, theencapsulated nutrients 500 are accelerated into the blood stream of auser after the electroporation of the epidermis 812 and dermis 814 ofthe user's skin. This accelerates the absorption of the nutrients 502 bythe user.

FIGS. 9A-9C depict the transformation of a user's skin as it undergoeselectroporation. In particular, FIG. 9A depicts a user's skin 910 beforean appropriate electric field (e.g., 25 V/m-125 V/m) is applied to theuser's skin 910. Without electroporation of the user's skin 910,nutrients 902 are unable to penetrate the user's skin 910. After anappropriate electric field is applied, however, the pores of the user'sskin 910 open up so that the nutrients 902 can penetrate the user's skin910, as shown in FIG. 9B. After the nutrients 902 are absorbed by theuser's skin 910 the application of the electric field to the user's skincan be discontinued and the pores 912 will no longer be present in theuser's skin, as shown in FIG. 9C.

In exemplary embodiments, since the electrical field decreases at a rateof 1/r², the wearable item should be close to the wearer's skin. In someembodiments, this can be achieved customizing the wearable item to theuser's shape. In embodiments where customizing the wearable item may notbe feasible, the wearable item can include a fit-adjusting strap 1010,as shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 10 illustrates a top-down view of thefit-adjusting strap 1010. The fit-adjusting strap 1010 can include a fitadjusting button 1012 that, when pressed, will pull the wearable item1000 taut around the user. In some embodiments, the fit adjusting strap1010 can be woven between alternating bars 1112, as shown in FIG. 11.Then, when the fit adjusting button 1012 is pressed, the wearable item1000 will tighten on the user by aligning the alternating bars 1112 andpulling the excess material of the wearable item 1000 taut. This willallow the electrical field 810 to be applied more closely to the user'sskin. In these embodiments, the flexibility of the conductive fibers andother materials enables the customization of the wearable item 1000 tothe user. In some embodiments, multiple fit-adjusting straps 1010 can beincluded in the wearable item 1000, such as the waist, the sleeves(shown in FIG. 12), and the chest.

As stated above, the wearable item 100 in FIG. 1A includes aprocessor-based nutrient applicator 112. FIG. 13 illustrates anexemplary processor-based nutrient applicator 112 that includes powerapplication module instructions 1315 stored on memory 1314. The powerapplication module instructions 1315 instruct the processor-basednutrient applicator 112 to perform one, multiple, or all of thefunctions described above and below. For example, in some embodiments,the processor-based nutrient applicator 112 is configured to applyvoltages to conductive fibers 106 for electroporation. In embodimentswhere different nutrients 102A, 102B are embedded at different locationsin the wearable item 100, the processor-based nutrient applicator 112can be configured to apply voltages (either automatically or throughuser input) to different sets of conductive fibers 106 at differentlocations at different times. In this manner, the wearable item 100 mayselectively increase the application of any one or a combination ofdifferent nutrients 102 at different rates. In embodiments where thenutrients 102A and/or 102B are encapsulated nutrients 500, the electricfield needed to release the nutrients 502 from the capsules 504 can begreater than the electric field needed for adequate electroporation. Inthese embodiments, the processor-based nutrient applicator 112 isprogrammed to apply a voltage level to the conductive fibers 106 for apredetermined time period that is sufficient for electroporation. Afterthe predetermined time period, the processor-based nutrient applicator112 increases the voltage to release the nutrients 502 from the capsules504. In embodiments where the electric field needed to release thenutrients 502 from the capsules 504 is less than the electric fieldneeded for adequate electroporation, the processor-based nutrientapplicator 112 may apply a voltage to certain conductive fibers 106located remote from the capsules 704 for electroporation before applyingthe electric field to other conductive fibers 106 located proximate tocapsules 504 to release the nutrients 502 from the capsules 504. In someembodiments, the process-based nutrient applicator 112 can be configuredto receive energy from conductive fibers 106 in the wearable item 100.

The processor-based nutrient applicator 112 can include a power source1310. In some embodiments, the power source 1310 can be the same powersource 110 as described above and can be coupled to and/or incorporatedinto the processor-based nutrient applicator 112 to power theprocessor-based nutrient applicator 112.

According to various embodiments, the processor-based nutrientapplicator 112 may include any one or all of the modules shown in FIG.13. For example, the processor-based nutrient applicator 112 may includea processor 1312 and memory 1314 (which may be a tangible,non-transitory storage medium such as flash memory or DRAM). Theprocessor 1312 may execute power application module instructions 1315stored on the memory 1314 in order to selectively apply a voltage toconductive fibers (e.g., conductive fibers 106 in FIG. 1A). The powerapplication module instructions 1315 can include instructions todetermine when to apply voltages, to which conductive fibers 106 thevoltage is applied, and for how long the voltage is applied. The powerapplication module instructions 1315 may include timing instructions toregulate when and for how long the power source applies the voltage tothe conductive fibers. Additionally, the power application moduleinstructions 1315 can include instructions to selectively apply a firstelectric field to the user's skin to increase the permeability of theuser's skin with respect to nutrients of a first type (e.g., nutrients102A in FIG. 1A) and to selectively apply a second electric field to theuser's skin to increase the permeability of the user's skin with respectto nutrients of a second type (e.g., nutrients 102B in FIG. 1A). Thememory 1314 can also include any instructions necessary to complete anyof the other functions described above and below.

The processor-based nutrient applicator 112 may include a user interface1318 through which the user may receive information from or provideinformation to the processor 1312 or memory 1314. For example, the userinterface 1318 may incorporate a touch screen or may be a simple button.A user interacts with the user interface 1318 in some embodiments toactivate the voltages applied by the power source to the conductivefibers or to alter the amount or duration of the voltages. The user mayfurther program the processor-based nutrient applicator 112 to applycertain voltages at certain times.

In some embodiments, the processor-based nutrient applicator 112includes a motion detector 1320 (e.g., an accelerometer) and may alsoinclude a temperature detector 1322. The chip may further include ahumidity detector, a light detector (e.g., a photodiode), and/or a GPSunit. Each of those components may be used to detect a particularcondition or external environment, which may be used by the processor totrigger the application of voltages to the conductive wires. In someembodiments, responses, based on input from the motion detector 1320 andtemperature detector 1322, can be elicited by the processor-basednutrient applicator 112 (e.g., a rhythmic playlist, nutrientapplication, and the like.)

In exemplary embodiments, the processor-based nutrient applicator 112can be incorporated into a dongle 114. FIG. 14A illustrates an exemplarydongle 114, according to the embodiments of the present disclosure. Inaddition to the functions performed by the processor-based nutrientapplicator 112 above, in exemplary embodiments, the dongle 114 can be adepository for nutrient packs, include a user interface 1410, andinclude its own power source or be coupled to the power source 110described above. The benefit of having a depository for nutrient packsis that some of the nutrients encapsulated on the wearable item can havea short shelf life (e.g., around two to five days). As a result,preservation and replenishment of the nutrients can be satisfied bystoring the nutrients in a nutrient pack on the dongle 114. Then, whennutrients are needed by the user, the nutrients can be transported fromthe nutrient pack, upon activation of the dongle 114, to the appropriatelocation on the wearable item via pathways (e.g., cellular tubes). Insome embodiments, the nutrients can be transported along the pathways byexposing the nutrients to an electric field and/or light pulse.

In exemplary embodiments, the dongle 114 can be removed from thewearable item. That is, the wearable item can comprise an interfaceconfigured to secure the removable dongle 114 to the wearable item andto control a proximity of the removable dongle 114 to the skin of theuser.

In exemplary embodiments, the dongle 114 can include other functionalityincluding, but not limited to, displaying biometric readings (e.g.,heart rate, stress, temperature, breathing patterns of user) on the userinterface 1410 (depicted in FIGS. 14A-14C), provide feedback based onthe biometric monitoring (e.g., adapting music to the measuredheartrate), interface with other smart devices (e.g., Fitbit, AppleWatch, etc.), provide Bluetooth and Wi-Fi compatibility (depicted inFIG. 14A), provide Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring, providenotifications (e.g. notification of an incoming call to a user'scellular phone and depicted in FIG. 14B) and function as a music player(e.g., download songs to the dongle and listen to the songs via aheadphone jack incorporated in the dongle 114 or via Bluetooth)(depicted in FIG. 14B). According to some embodiments, the dongle 114can communicate with the biometric sensors 116 and other electronicsalong a network of conductive fibers 1410 of the wearable item 100, asshown in FIG. 14 and explained in FIG. 4 above.

In exemplary embodiments, other information displayed by the userinterface 1410 includes the type of nutrients in the nutrient pack, theamount of nutrients left in the nutrient pack, how saturated thewearable item is with nutrients (depicted in FIGS. 14A-14C), whether theconductive fibers are conducting electricity efficiently, the remaininguseful life of the wearable item (depicted in FIG. 14C), the amount ofenergy available to the power application module for electroporation,whether the wearable item has been damaged, biometric feedback frombiometric sensors incorporated in the wearable item (e.g., heart rate,blood-oxygen level, etc.), whether Bluetooth is enabled, whether Wi-Fiis enabled, a user interface for changing a song that the user islistening to (depicted in FIG. 14B), and the like.

FIG. 16 illustrates an exemplary vitamin pack 1610. The vitamin pack1610 can include a description of the type of vitamin that is stored inthe vitamin pack 1610 (Vitamin D in this particular example) and theamount of vitamins in the vitamin pack 1610 (600 International Units(IU) in this particular example).

Due to the embodiments described above, the wearable item (e.g., thewearable item 100 in FIG. 1A) can be used to replenish nutrients (e.g.,nutrients 102A, 102B in FIG. 1A) consumed during exercise and/or provideessential nutrients in those who are facing malnutrition. In thismanner, the wearable item may be used to combat health challenges posedby nutritional deficiencies. Additionally, in some embodiments, deliveryof vitamins directly to the bloodstream by way of safe electroporationmethods will eliminate negative effects presented by energy-stimulatingproducts such as gastro-intestinal distress, water imbalance, andabsorption of unwanted compounds such as excess sugar or artificialsweeteners, which are found in many energy-enhancing products on themarket. Furthermore, in some embodiments, delivery of vitamins to thebloodstream can provide hospital patients an alternative to having toswallow prescribed medicine or for soldiers in the field requiringimmediate nutritional support.

While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of thepresent invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art fromthe following detailed description, which shows and describesillustrative embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings anddetailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature andnot restrictive. That is, various modifications and additions can bemade to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from thescope of the present invention. For example, while the embodimentsdescribed above refer to particular features, the scope of thisinvention also includes embodiments having different combinations offeatures and embodiments that do not include all of the describedfeatures. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended toembrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fallwithin the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.

1-19. (canceled)
 20. A wearable item for applying nutrients to a user,the wearable item comprising: a plurality of non-conductive fibers;nutrients embedded within the plurality of non-conductive fibers; apower source; a plurality of conductive fibers interwoven with theplurality of non-conductive fibers and formed into an item configured tobe worn by a user, the plurality of conductive fibers being operativelycoupled to the power source; and a processor-based nutrient applicatoroperatively coupled to the plurality of conductive fibers and the powersource, the processor-based nutrient applicator selectively causing thepower source to deliver an electrical pulse to the plurality ofconductive fibers to cause the plurality of conductive fibers to applyan electric field from about 25 V/m to about 125 V/m to a portion of theskin of the user to induce an electroporation effect and therebyincrease a permeability of the portion of the skin with respect to thenutrients.
 21. The wearable item of claim 20, wherein theprocessor-based nutrient applicator is configured to selectively apply(A) a first voltage to the plurality of conductive fibers to cause theplurality of conductive fibers to induce the electroporation effect and(B) a second voltage to the plurality of conductive fibers to cause theplurality of conductive fibers to induce nutrient release, the secondvoltage being greater than the first voltage.
 22. The wearable item ofclaim 20, wherein the processor-based nutrient applicator is a removabledongle, and wherein the wearable item further comprises an interfaceconfigured to secure the removable dongle to the wearable item and tocontrol a proximity of the removable dongle to the skin of the user. 23.The wearable item of claim 22, wherein the interface is a firstinterface, and wherein the removable dongle comprises a user interfaceconfigured to display at least one of an amount of nutrients carried bythe wearable item, an amount of energy available to the wearable itemfor inducing the electroporation effect, and user biometric data.
 24. Awearable item for applying nutrients to a user, the wearable itemcomprising: a plurality of non-conductive fibers; nutrients embeddedwithin the plurality of non-conductive fibers; a power source comprisinga plurality of photovoltaic cells; a plurality of conductive fibersinterwoven with the plurality of non-conductive fibers and formed intoan item configured to be worn by a user, the plurality of conductivefibers being configured to receive an electrical pulse from the powersource and apply an electric field from about 25 V/m to about 125 V/m toa portion of the skin of the user to induce an electroporation effectand thereby increase a permeability of the portion of the skin withrespect to the nutrients; and a processor-based nutrient applicatorconfigured to selectively cause the power source to deliver theelectrical pulse to the plurality of conductive fibers to cause theplurality of conductive fibers to apply the electric field to the skinof the user.
 25. The wearable item of claim 24, wherein the plurality ofphotovoltaic cells are incorporated on the item configured to be worn bythe user.
 26. The wearable item of claim 24, wherein the plurality ofphotovoltaic cells are integrated into at least one of the plurality ofnon-conductive fibers and the plurality of conductive fibers.
 27. Thewearable item of claim 24, wherein the plurality of photovoltaic cellsare ultraviolet (UV) reactive cells.
 28. The wearable item of claim 24,wherein the nutrients are selected from a group consisting essentiallyof: water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins.
 29. The wearableitem of claim 24, wherein the plurality of non-conductive fibers includeat least one of the following: bamboo fibers, ramie fibers, hydrophobiccotton fibers or hydrophilic cotton cellulose fibers.
 30. The wearableitem of claim 24, wherein the nutrients include a first nutrient typeand a second nutrient type, and the nutrients of the first nutrient typeare embedded within a first region of the wearable item and thenutrients of the second nutrient type are embedded within a secondregion of the wearable item, wherein the first region is different thanthe second region.
 31. The wearable item of claim 24, wherein theprocessor-based nutrient applicator is a removable dongle, and whereinthe wearable item further comprises an interface configured to securethe removable dongle to the wearable item and to control a proximity ofthe removable dongle to the skin of the user.
 32. The wearable item ofclaim 31, wherein the interface is a first interface, and wherein theremovable dongle comprises a user interface configured to display atleast one of an amount of nutrients carried by the wearable item, anamount of energy available to the wearable item for inducing theelectroporation effect, and user biometric data.
 33. The wearable itemof claim 24, further comprising a visual indicator configured to conveyinformation regarding an amount of nutrients coupled to the plurality ofnon-conductive fibers.
 34. The wearable item of claim 24, wherein theplurality of conductive fibers are flexible.
 35. The wearable item ofclaim 24, wherein the nutrients are enclosed in vesicles.
 36. Thewearable item of claim 35, wherein the electric field is configured todisperse the nutrients from the vesicles.
 37. The wearable item of claim24, wherein the processor-based nutrient applicator is configured toselectively apply (A) a first voltage to the plurality of conductivefibers to cause the plurality of conductive fibers to induce theelectroporation effect and (B) a second voltage to the plurality ofconductive fibers to cause the plurality of conductive fibers to inducenutrient release, the second voltage being greater than the firstvoltage.